Chaplain

About the role

Corrections professionals who foster a humane and secure environment and ensure public safety by preparing individuals for successful reentry into our communities.

What you will do

• The primary duties of Bureau of Prisons Chaplains are religious accommodation, pastoral care, and faith-based reentry programming to those in federal custody.
• Chaplains lead worship and religious programming from their own faith tradition, religious credentialing, and endorsement.
• They work collaboratively with their correctional supervisory chains of command, other institutional departments, religious volunteers, and contracted faith-specific service providers to ensure the protected religious rights of federal offenders under federal laws and agency policies.
• Along with all other correctional institution employees, incumbent is charged with responsibility for maintaining security of the institution.
• The staff correctional responsibilities precede all others required by this position and are performed on a regular and recurring basis.

Requirements

• This position is in the excepted service.
• It is excluded from the provisions of the career transition assistance program, and is subject to a trial period.
• EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor.
• More information can be found here: ***
• Key Requirements: U.S. Citizenship is Required.
• See Special Conditions of Employment Section.
• Selective Service Requirement

Education

See Qualifications Section for education requirements, if applicable. ONLY if education is a requirement/substitution for specialized experience, applicant MUST upload legible transcripts as verification of educational requirement.

Transcripts MUST be uploaded and electronically linked from USAJOBS at the time you apply and MUST include identifying information to include School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable).

All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, Click Here.

Foreign Education: For information regarding foreign education requirements, please see Foreign Diploma and Credit Recognition at the U.S. Department of Education website: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications.

If you are selected for this position and qualified based on education (i.e. basic education requirement and/or substitution of education), you will be required to provide an OFFICIAL transcript prior to your first day on duty.

How you will be evaluated

RULE OF MANY RATING PROCEDURES: Your application will be evaluated and rated using Rule of Many procedures under 5 C.F.R. § 332.402 based on set percentage of highest ranked eligibles?. Preference eligibles will receive 5 or 10 points added to their score based on the adjudicated preference. All applicants who score 70% or above will be reviewed.

All applicants who are qualified will be referred for selection consideration. We will provide the selecting official with sufficient number of names, when available, to consider at least three candidates per vacancy.

If fewer than three eligible and available candidates per vacancy result, we will expand the group in accordance with our pre-announced supplement strategy and OPM policy. The selecting official will adhere to veterans' preference rules and Rule of Many procedures when making selections.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process.

In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration.

Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. Your USAHIRE assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments. To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: ***

Documents you must provide

• Failure to provide legible required documents and/or follow the prescribed format often results in removal from consideration.
• If uploading documentation, do not identify/save your documents utilizing a special character such as %, #, @, etc. Documentation should be identified/saved as VA Letter, DD-214, or Transcripts.
• Veterans' Preference Documentation: Failure to submit all required documents at the time of application will result in the loss of claimed preference eligibility.
• DD-214: Veterans MUST provide a DD-214 demonstrating that they have been discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions (i.e., the individual must have received either an honorable or general discharge).
• SF-15: If you are a disabled veteran, a Purple Heart recipient, widow/widower of a veteran, the spouse of a disabled veteran or the parent of a disabled or deceased veteran, you must submit: A completed Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference" and all required documentation identified on the SF-15.
• Note: A Department of Veterans Affairs letter must contain the Veteran's Name and Combined Service-Connected Evaluation.
• For a copy of the most current SF-15, Click Here.
• If you are on active duty and expect to be discharged or released from active duty service within 120 days, you may submit a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty from the appropriate Branch Personnel Office containing the following information: the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and the character of service (must be an honorable or general discharge); and any qualifying service/campaign/expeditionary medals Resume - All Applicants: You must submit a resume (a two page or less resume is required) that includes your name, contact information, and relevant experience (cover letter optional).
• Additionally, for each job entry listed in your employment history, you must include: Official position title, Employer name and contact information, Start and end dates (month and year, MM/YYYY, format), Indicate number of hours worked per week, and A list of duties performed and accomplishments.
• Experience that would not normally be part of the Federal employee's position is creditable when documented by satisfactory evidence of qualifying experience (e.g., a memorandum from the manager, Human Resource Manager, SF-52, MOU, etc.).
• If providing a memorandum, it must follow the format above AND clearly cite the duties performed.
• For more help, visit USAJOBS Help Center - What should I include in my resume?
• College Transcripts: If you are using education to qualify for this position, or education is required, you must submit a transcript containing a school name and student name in addition to full listing of courses, credit earned, grade and grade-point-average, subject area, degree(s) earned, and dates of award (if applicable).
• Note: If you are selected for this position, official transcripts will be required prior to your first day.
• SF-50: If you are a current/former federal government employee, you must provide an unredacted copy of your latest SF-50.
• Proof of ICTAP/CTAP Eligibility: If you are a displaced Federal employee claiming eligibility under CTAP or ICTAP, you must submit: A copy of the agency notice (i.e., letter of intent to separate, separation notice, or agency RIF letter), Your most recent performance appraisal, and Most recent SF-50 showing current/former position, grade, promotion potential, and duty location.
• Professional Certification/License: if applicable.
• We cannot be held responsible for incompatible software, delays in mail service, applicant application errors, etc.

Benefits

Nonforeign Area Cost-of-Living Allowances (COLA): There is an 8.64% (of basic pay) Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) authorized for FDC Honolulu, HI, and a 2.49% for MDC Guaynabo, PR. See COLA and Locality Pay Rates in Nonforeign Areas for more information.

What to expect next

We will notify you of the outcome after each step of the application process has been completed. Applicants will be notified via e-mail, to the e-mail address registered in USAJOBS. However, you can also see your application status any time by logging in to your USAJOBS account and looking on the "Applications" page.

Click the position title to expand the display for each application in the list. The referral certificate or list of eligibles will be issued to the Hiring Manager for further consideration. Applicants referred on a certificate of eligibles may receive an inquiry as to availability for an interview via e-mail, mail or a telephone inquiry from the Hiring Operations Team.

Applicants must contact the Hiring Operations Team to schedule an interview.

Failure to contact the Hiring Operations Team may result in a loss of consideration for the position.

We strive to extend a final offer of employment within 80 days from the closing date of this announcement. Additional selections may be made from this announcement within 80 days.

Additional information

Additional selections may be made from this announcement. Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

AGE REQUIREMENTS: All Chaplain applicants can be considered at any age. Age waivers are not needed for: Applicants with prior federal law enforcement coverage. Applicants who have been endorsed by the Catholic, Islamic or Jewish faiths.

All others over the age of 36 require an approved age waiver prior to entry on duty.

You must ensure you provide the documentation listed in the "Required Documents" section to support your claim.

Failure to provide the required documentation may result in not receiving consideration for this position.

LENGTH OF ELIBILITY: Eligible applicants will remain on the inventory until the closing date of the vacancy announcement. NOTE: This announcement is posted on a yearly cycle. This announcement will EXPIRE on 09/30/2027 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

In order to receive consideration for the next cycle, applicants MUST reapply to the new vacancy announcement. SALARY RANGE: The salary range for this announcement reflects Rest of US GS-09/01 $63,780 to highest GS-12/10 San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA $145,468. See current pay scales for locality area for which you are applying at OPM and search pay tables.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT SECTION: Appointment is subject to satisfactory completion of a pre-employment and panel interview, urinalysis, physical, and background investigation. All applicants are subject to and must satisfactorily pass all screening requirements in relation to National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and credit check.

All applicants not currently working in an institution will be required to complete a qualification inquiry regarding convictions of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence in order to be authorized to carry a firearm. Successful completion of the "Introduction to Correctional Techniques," three-week training course at Glynco, Georgia is required.

PROBATIONARY PERIOD: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.

In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.